Oct 2010

Religion Series: Mormonism p.

16 Connecting with Local Bands p.

Interviews . d e trnwoirm every Monday c with new teachers.

19

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royalnews

Vol. IV Issue 1 - Prince George High School - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd - Prince George, VA 23875 - www.trnwired.com - 5.21.2010

Clearing the Air on Smoking p. 7

Lewis Zingaro lights a cigarette off of school property.

Photo by Alison Brown.

Experiencing paranormal activity p. 12

Progress with VTA Play hits stage in Biodiesal Project p. 10 Fall p.20

Scott Banks decided to do his independent study on the paranormal.

He focused not only on finding evidence, but also discovering the history and background of each location. Banks works with a group in Richmond, and shares different experiences of the paranormal.

Along with the “going green� trend, the biodiesal project came about. Reasons for this project started uprising in 2006. Work inside the new building still needs to be completed, but students involved will notice the benefits.

The cast of The Dark Lady of the Sonnet by George Bernard Shaw includes some new members to the theater department. This Shakespearian play will premiere on Oct. 27 during the morning classes.

Opinions&Editorials

the

Editorial

page 2 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Smoking habit hard to break Giving the student body a voice

T

he Royal News is returning for the ninth year to inform the student body of news, arts and entertainment, sports stories and everything in between. Our goal is to keep students up to date and well informed of the issues and events in the world, our community and our school. We work to localize all large scale stories so our readers are aware of the effects it may have on their lives. In this issue, we touch on topics like smoking, budget cuts in the school and it’s effects, local bands and introduce the new field hockey coach.

News is always occurring in school. To keep up with all the events we don’t cover in the paper, we update our web site: trnwired.org. In addition, the staff is constantly updating sports scores on our Facebook page and uploading pictures from games or school events.

Not only are we here to communicate information to students, we are also here to be a forum for readers. We reserve a place in each issue of the paper for our reader’s opinions and viewpoints. Every issue the staff invites a letter to the editor to be published in the paper.

We strongly encourage our readers to write us and comment on events and issues that present themselves in school as well as the community and world. If you feel there as a problem in the school, tell us. The First Amendment guarantees our right to free speech, and thus students are should take advantage of this opportunity and express their opinions.

W

hen I walk into Southpark Mall through the movie theater entrance on Saturdays, smoke hangs in the air and cigarette butts litter the ground.

Both male and female, teenager and adult light up during common events, such as football, soccer, or baseball games, Olivia tritschler as well as in their own houses. What could have started out as an innocent one-time puff due to peer pressure at a party in high school may turn into a taxing life style as an adult.

A smoker becomes hooked on tobacco quickly; the more one smokes, the harder it becomes to break the bad habit. My mother’s boyfriend has quit, and restarted smoking about three times.

It is extremely costly to buy cigarettes with a pack at about four bucks. That adds up to over $1,344 a year. I know I would rather spend that cash on a vacation to a beach house for a week or some short trip to Europe.

It has been proven that smoking stains teeth and causes wrinkles and the growth of facial hair. Smokers

have a greater chance of getting lung cancer. One out of every five people each year dies due to smoking. It is a bad choice to smoke, unless one wants it to be their last.

The public is informed about the hazards of smoking daily.

Cigarette companies are forced to warn customers of possible health dangers on each pack of cigarettes.

Commercials on TV also show how smoking is harmful. My favorites are the Above The Influence commercials which show horrifying, and often extremely disgusting comparisons to smoking. These ads really do convince me to never light up, but it does not seem to persuade everyone.

It is sad to see people consumed by smoking. About 19.8 percent of adults in the U.S. smoke, and about twenty three percent of high school students smoke. Even middle schools are affected with eight percent of students smoking. There has been a push to find ways to stop smoking, such as the Nicorette gum, but breaking the addiction to smoking can be a difficult task. Hopefully we will see more people choosing to save their lungs in the near future. If not, at least please smoke away from groups of people so your harmful ways don’t affect their lives as well.

Conflicts with club meetings during Activity Period makes it difficult for students to choose which one they should go to.

A new school year should mean a clean slate with full trust in students, but the bathroom policy remains the same as last year.

Editor-in-Chief Jami Davis

in all classes put forth much effort and dediA+ Students cation to their wall for Spirit Week.

F

O

ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life. The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible.

We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A6, or e-mail them to cwaugaman@pgs.k12.va.us We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar.

Please include your name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum. Please submit letters to the editors by October 29th for the November issue.

Section Editors Mariah Blystone: News/Online EditorKim Carneal: Op/Ed- Malikah Williams: Features- Ciara Ward: Ampersand-Jessica Marshall: A&E- Wayne Epps:Sports-Colby Eliades:Double Truck- Alison Brown: Photo/ Front Page Editor- Gabby Whittington: Ads Manager- Jake McQuiggan: CirculationSarah Moats: Editorial Cartoonist- Olivia Tritshcler:Online Editor- Rachel Waymack: News- Rachel Youmans: Copy Editor Writers Kourtney Galvin-Rachel Karns-Gall Mandy Lockhart-Maggie Smith-Michael Winn-Jessica Demas-Kimberly EdmondsBest-Emily Gray-Kevin Harris-Unique Larry-Carson Stout-Michelle Williams-Rachel Williams-Tasia Faulcon-Amanda MajewskiRidhi Patel-Cassie Smith-Elizabeth Nerdig

Business Manager

MAKING THE GRADE

C

theRoyalNews

itor e ed o th ber t s r to tte y le e by Oc waut an bmi ing issu em to c u s th se m Plea e upco e-mail s h r u for t in A6 o k12.va. .

29th n@pgs a gam

Janai Cunningham

Managing Editor Colby Eliades

Adviser

Chris Waugaman

Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2009 Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Crown Finalist 2010 National Scholastic Press Assoc. Pacemaker Finalist 2009 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2009 SIPA All Southern 2009

The Royal News, PGHS

7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia

Opinions&Editorials

the

page 3 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Pro/Con: Should a Muslim community center be built near

the location of 9/11 where so many Americans lost their lives?

I

n an abandoned Burlington Coat Factory building two blocks away from the site of the 9/11 attacks, an Islamic cultural center is being built.

This has been a sensitive point for a lot of people; politicians have openly opposed the project, and protests began almost immediately after the project was announced.

You see, they have the right to do that. It’s right there in the Bill of Rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting the right of the people peaceably to assemble.”

In other words, the government won’t stop people from protesting, as long as it isn’t violent. The Bill of Rights protects the rights of American citizens.

It’s what makes our country so great; it’s the reason we are able to say what we want without fearing repercussions from the government.

Do you know what else is in the Bill of Rights?

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

This is the beginning of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. It is short and to the point; it does not list any exceptions.

The Bill of Rights does not read “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion as long as we’re happy with that group.” It would completely defeat the purpose.

You might think it’s ridiculous for an Islamic building to be built so close to the site of a religion-based tragedy.

You might think it’s offensive.

You might want nothing better than for the project to be stopped.

But you need to realize this: the day the government violates our freedom of religion, one of the most important foundations of our country, is the day Americans have lost every right we have. At that point every American’s rights have been rendered completely invalid.

O

PRO Con

Rachel youmans

Jake mcquiggan

n Sept. 11th, 2001, America witnessed one of the world’s most horrific acts of terrorism ever. I can still remember the terror the Nation felt as we watched the World Trade Center fall. Nearly 2,800 people lost their lives in that tragic event due to a group of Islamic extremists.

Now Park 51 is planning to build their own community center estimated at $100 million dollars, according to the New York Post. Out of all the places in the big city of New York, does the center really need to go there?

It is not the religion and it is not the Islamic people in the center that is the problem. It’s the fact that it is being built so close to the memorial. The memorial is there to remember those that died in the events of 9/11 and should not be disturbed.

I don’t think any religious building should be built so close to something so precious to others out of moral respect.

In a poll from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, 52 percent of the respondents don’t want the mosque, while 31 percent favor it, and 71 percent is left undecided. The families of the 9/11 victims do not want the center built so close to the memorial.

The terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center and left these poor people without family members were Islamic, and an Islamic Community Center so close to the site of that tragedy will only pour salt on old wounds.

I understand that religious freedom should be protected and that every person in America has the right to practice whatever they want. But I just don’t think that it is fair to the families of 9/11 to build it so close to something that is so dear to them. I am not saying that the center should not be built, I just think that it should be built farther away for the sake of others.

the

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804-861-4887 Best wishes to the cast of

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News

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page 5 - royalnews - 10.08.2010

Money restrictions News Briefs hit teachers hard

An open field will be held for girls interested in spring soccer on Oct. 12th at 7pm on the JV softball field.

Administrators, other school personnel try to lessen impact on students Malikah Williams trn editor

W

ith the 2010-2011 school budget taking effect this year, many changes have been made to compensate some of the losses. The class sizes have increased and one teacher in every department has been lost. Most of the changes did not affect the students, however, teachers and the administration were deeply impacted.

“No one in Prince George lost his or her job, we did not pink slip people; when people retired they [the School Board] just did not replace the position and they shifted people,” Principal Tracey Smallwood, said.

Special instructions were given in the creation of this budget.

“We were told not to ask for things unless you really, really need them,” Smallwood said.

Teachers now have to adapt to inflexibility with materials that were not there in previous years and still try to effectively teach their students.

“I have bought more of my own supplies and stopped using as many handouts,” US History teacher Cynthia Hasley said.

“I’m trying to figure out how not to hurt my students by not using so much paper.”

Conferences have been a very useful

tool for teachers to gather more information about certain subject areas and innovative teaching styles. The School Board used to pay for the conference registration, lodging, and transportation costs. Due to the cutbacks, conferences are now deemed as an expense the School Board does not need to cover.

“Last year, the school absorbed the cost of the [Advanced Placement] conference but I had to pay for my travel expenses and hotel,” Hasley said. “This year, I have to pay for the conference registration; I simply cannot afford to go.”

The cost of the conferences can be written off as an educational expense on taxes, but teachers still will absorb most of the cost. Teachers not going to these conferences may actually impact the students as well.

“The more information I get, the better information I can give my students,” Hasley said.

Though the school board made the ultimate decision about what was needed and what was not, teachers did have input on what they thought was vital.

“Every teacher gets to give to their department chair what they need, they send it to me and Mrs. Diane Overstreet, and that’s where our budget comes from,” Smallwood said.

Even the administration is feeling the pinch because of this new budget.

“Personally, I’m not going to be attending anything because of not getting a raise for a couple of years and I can’t afford to go to a conference because the cost of living is still going up,” Smallwood said.

Students, however, have been affected very minimally compared to the

teachers and administration. Some students even find the changes to be helpful.

“I’ve noticed how they [teachers] cut back on how many handouts they give,” junior Devan Andrews said.

“Honestly it is better for me to learn it than to fill in the blanks on a handout.”

This change of having lesser amounts of materials given out by teachers compared to previous years is the major difference noticed by students.

“The handouts are going more quickly, but this does not affect me, positively or negatively,” senior Hillery Peterson said.

Though it was thought by the teachers that the lack of materials and supplies would have some type of impact on the students learning style, students seem to disagree.

“I have not changed my learning style because the learning style that I use is the one that I am used to, so if I do change [my style of learning] it might affect the outcome of my grades,” sophomore Justice Evans said.

The ultimate goal of the new budget was to make sure the students were not negatively impacted by the decrease in money. Teachers were hit hardest with the limitations but students seem not to even notice the few changes made this year.

“They didn’t want [students] to go to art class with nothing to paint with or go in the classroom and not have materials to do lessons,” Smallwood said, “They tried to trim the fat, so to speak.”

“They didn’t want [students] to go to art class with nothing to paint with or go in the classroom and not have materials to do lessons,” Smallwood said, “They tried to trim the fat, so to speak.”

PSAT testing will be held at PGHS on Saturday, Oct. 16th at 8am. Sign up in Guidance

by Oct. 13th. The cost is fifteen dollars.

Live professional wrestling will be at PGHS Oct. 23rd at 5pm. Tickets bought in advance at PG police and fire departments will be $5, tickets bought at the door will be $8.

The Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is hosting a free SAT workshop on Oct. 30th from 9am-1pm at Walnut Hill Elementary School. Register in Guidance by Oct. 27th.

the

page 6 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

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NEWS

page 7 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Smoking rates hold steady despite awareness of negative consequences Student smokers ignore risks, hygiene, improbability of being able to quit Janai Cunningham trn editor

N

icely packaged boxes in pink and green sit on the shelves behind store clerks. A teenager gives the money over to receive a nicotine high, removes the cigarette out of the cardboard box, and holds the flame to the tip of the roll, eager to feel the smoke inflate their lungs.

Studies show that tobacco companies have been attracting young adults in their marketing campaign.

The legal age to have possession of tobacco, in Virginia, is 18. In 2007, Camel No. 9 tobacco company packaged their cigarettes in hot-pink and teal-green boxes. Studies showed that this enticed young girls ages 12 to 16 to try their product. The R.J. Reynolds company, which make Camel, insisted that was not their intention.

Senior Lewis Zingaro, Jr. was 14 when he first experienced the sensation of smoking a cigarette.

“My friends and I were bored one

By the

numbers

This information was gathered from a survey of 104 PGHS 11th and 12th graders

day and decided to try it out. Seeing everybody else do it we thought it was a cool thing to do,” Zingaro said.

Tobacco companies spend millions of dollars on advertising campaigns. Visions of glamour and success entice teens to try their cigarette brand. Insecurities that teens experience become a weak point that tobacco companies take advantage of.

Senior Chelsea Traylor was 15 when she first smoked a cigarette.

“It was more peer pressure than anything else. I hung around a bunch of older people that were 18 and did smoke, so they did influence me,” Traylor said. “I think my family also influenced me. My mom smoked and I repeatedly asked her to stop, but she didn’t. It made me think that it wasn’t a big deal.”.

Cigarettes today are pushed more and more into teenagers’ lives. Music videos zoom in on artists smoking and doing drugs. Posters at the local gas station are positioned at a low eye level for kids. It’s becoming less of a taboo and more normal every day.

The school policy states that

tobacco products cannot be on school property. This includes in lockers, personal book bags or vehicles in the student parking lot. Also, in a new policy enforced last year, individuals cannot smoke at school functions such as football games and banquets.

“We recently had signs made and put up to make people realize that smoking is not permitted.

Many people don’t know and so we’re trying to put the word out,” Officer Butch Pearson said.

Over 4,000 chemicals are wrapped up in each cigarette. Toxins that are used in prison executions, like hydrogen cyanide, and urea, which is found in urine are just two of the thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes..

“Yeah I know about all of the negative side effects, but I don’t care. My mom and family have all had cancer so I’m bound to get it eventually,” Zingaro said.

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the world. Nicotine is highly addictive and can reach the brain in 10 seconds. 60.9% of U.S. students

91% of 22% 18% 44% students of students have

of students have smoked been around a cigarette peers who smoke

of students have used smoke to relieve stress other forms of tobacco

who smoked on a regular basis admitted to trying to quit smoking, however, only 12.2% were successful.

“I did quit smoking for two years because a friend asked me to.

We don’t talk anymore, though, so I started back up again.” Zingaro said.

“I smoke about a pack a day,” Traylor said. “I think that I’m addicted now, but in the beginning it was more like a bad habit.”

Cancer is a big health concern when it comes to smoking, but there are many more complications and side effects that can occur.

Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, a stoke, or heart attack may later affect the body. Physical concerns include premature wrinkles, yellow teeth and fingers, and bad breath.

“You never stop coughing. You will always have a tickle in your throat. After a while it puts a toll on you. The worst part is that you smell and knowing that others know you smoke. The phlegm that you cough up, it’s disgusting,” Traylor said.

News

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page 8 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Resources now available for Non-English speaking students Angela Mitchell devotes time to educating to help with English language Mariah Blystone Editor

T

he Spanish language is becoming increasingly relevant in America. Certain businesses and companies cater to both English speakers and Spanish speakers.

The United States Census Bureau reports that about eleven percent of the United States population is Hispanic, and the number is quickly increasing. The Hispanic people have various characteristics to their growing culture.

Some students come into school knowing little or no English.

“I started learning English when I came here in the eight grade,” junior Girsan Negron-Quiros said.

Students have obvious difficulties learning the language “The hardest thing for me is when people talk fast and pronunciation,” Negron-Quiros said.

Some students have ways to help them adapt to a whole new language.

“Watching TV and movies helped me understand,” Negron-Quiros said.

Negron-Quiros has advice for future students like himself.

“Don’t be shy,” Negron-Quiros said.

Negron-Quiros had to see teacher Angela Mitchell to learn the language. She helps students with their speech.

“Teachers refer students to me when they notice speech problems. I then screen them to determine their English proficiency,” Mitchell said.

Students can take advantage of Mitchell’s help at various times of the day.

“I meet with them during their ETEH periods and at the request of the teacher as well,” Mitchell said.

Various activities are used to help the

students with the English language.

“I do lessons with them to help with oral speaking, writing, reading, comprehension, and listening skills,” Mitchell said.

“I also can read the test out loud and read them pieces from their English classes.”

Having many students at different schools can cause difficulties.

“The hardest part for me is coordinating between so many teachers both here and at Clements,” Mitchell said.

Although Mitchell is exposed to Spanish speaking students, she does not understand the language well.

“I do not speak to [the students] in Spanish. By doing that I am not helping them, so I make sure to only use English,” Mitchell said.

Teachers now and in the future may be faced with a language barrier between students.

“A good thing to do is to write things

down so they can see the words as well as hear you say them,” Mitchell said.

When students get involved in the school, they can grasp the language better.

“It is good for them to have English speaking friends so they can pick up the language and the culture because when they come here it is much of a culture shock for them,” Mitchell said.

Working with other students will help, but they may still have problems with certain parts of the language.

“Conversational language can be learned easily, but academic language can take from two to five years to learn. Certain simple words, like over and under, that we take for granted they don’t understand,” Mitchell said.

The students are more than willing to work hard to learn the language.

“Some of the students have to pay to go to school in their countries so when

Junior Bryan Domingo and junior Girsan Negron-Quiros work on assignments in the library. They frequently go to teacher Angela Mitchell to receive any help they need.

Photo by Alison Brown. they come here they do not understand why some of the students do not take it so seriously. In the United States we take education for granted. They come here with great work ethic,” Mitchell said.

When it comes to education teachers will do what they need to do to help their students.

“I always say that good teaching is good teaching. The teacher will always do what they have to do,” Mitchell said.

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news

the

page 10- royalnews - 10.8.2010

Biodiesel project uses green technology to produce fuel

Biofuel facts

Jami Davis trn editor-in-chief

T

he production department continues to work on their biodiesel project in order to create fuel and educate students. Plans for this project have been in the works since 2006, and this upcoming school year the program has its own operational building.

In previous years the biodiesel fuel was created in the wood lab in the school building. This year, the school board approved the construction of a new building to house the project.

The program has received a $10,000 PEER Grant through John Tyler Community College, funding from Farm Bureau and other donations to help finance the building.

“We got a grant through John Tyler and we also won a $5,000 dollar grant from the state of Virginia. So basically those two things paid for the building.

The county paid for the concrete and for some other features,” teacher Randy Bullock said.

The biodiesel project is a program that is uses green technology to convert waste into usable fuel. Biofuel is created from oils by a process called transesterfication.

“In [the process] the oil is reacted with an alcohol, typically methanol. The resulting chemical has significantly improved combustion properties over the original oil. This process produces glycerol as a byproduct which is removed from the biofuel before it is used,” Chemistry teacher Dr. Kevin Moore said.

In comparison with the nearly $3.00 per gallon diesel fuel prices across Virginia, biodiesel can help to cut the amount of money spent on fuel for county vehicles.

“Per gallon if the oil is donated, which it always is, we can make the fuel for $1.00 a gallon. Also, we are hoping that by using solar panels to heat the oil we can lower the cost to 75 cents,” Bullock said.

A group of Bullock’s students came up with the idea to generate fuel from waste products created in the cafeterias at county schools.

 Biodiesel is an ef-

ficient fuel that shows 100% reduction in sulfur dioxide, 40 - 60% reduction in soot particles, 10 - 15% reduction in carbon monoxide.

 Biodiesel produc“Some students in 2006 had the idea to turn cooking oil into a fuel. One of my students had read something about it. For a couple months I would stay up until one or two in the morning researching it. I found a plan for a processor and we built it. It was definitely a learning process. We all learned together,” Bullock said.

The biodiesel project was operational on a much smaller scale prior to this year.

Bullock hopes to dramatically increase the amount of fuel created now that there are fewer space constrictions and less safety hazards.

“We used to create it in the building, so we used to make 30 gallons every other day. Now our capacity could increase up to 150 gallons a day, easily. Our max output could be as much as 300 gallons a day if we could get enough raw materials,” Bullock said.

There is still more work to be done inside of the new building before it will

The school board approved construction of the building to hold the fuel after its production, shown above.

Before the building, the fuel was being stored in the wood lab.

Photo By Alison Brown. be fully operational and safe for students.

“We still have to go through all the safety rules and equipment first. We also still have to build a few things which my construction and production students will both be doing,” Bullock said.

Even though the project is not completely up and running yet, students who will be involved realize the benefits their program will have.

“I think it goes along with the ‘going green’ technology now. It’s good for the environment because we can make our own gas and not use real diesel fuels,” senior Ver’Rell McDonald said.

tion gives rise to 96% less hazardous solid wastes and uses 79% less water.

The consumption of energy is 70 - 90% less than petroleum diesel in biodiesel production.

 About 1.4 gallons

of biodiesel is produced from one bushel of soybeans.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ biodiesel-facts.html

features

Sergeant Simon brings What brought you to PG? “I got laid off from Chesterfield County and found a job at Prince George after a few lengthy applications processes.”

What values do you find important about JROTC? “The values I would say are important are leadership, integrity, and good citizenship.”

Do you have any values you would like to instill in the members of the PG JROTC? “Discipline. I’m here to guide, motivate, and instill the discipline that is required by the core.”

Why is discipline such an important

value?

“Discipline is an important value because it gives the students structure. It also helps them with everyday life because they are able to respond to everyday situations and by starting early in life it helps them in their future.”

Do you have any past experiences with JROTC? “I’ve been teaching JROTC at Thomas Dale for the last 7 years. I came to Prince George with a lot of knowledge.”

What is your first impression of Prince George?

“I find the community very good so far.

It’s a smaller school in comparison to other schools and everyone gets along well together.

The kids are wonderful so far in my eyes.”

the

page 11 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

discipline to JROTC What do you expect this year as a 1st year JROTC teacher at Prince George?

“I expect the kids to bring in 1st place at competition this year, the cadets to really get involved in their community, and I hope to effectively communicate with the faculty and staff this year.”

How do you plan on meeting these expectations?

“I will be here for a lot of practice for the cadets and I will be here to enforce all necessary standards. I will help the cadets with becoming a better citizen and with motivation. They will be taught by the best…me.”

Do you have any military experience outside of teaching JROTC? “I’m technically retired from the Army, after being an Army medic for 20 years. But to some I would be considered active duty, since I was a member of the Army reserve.”

Is teaching something you always wanted to do?

“Over the years I found it very interesting and over time I found teaching is a wonderful experience.”

. d e r i trnwom c See a new story on new teachers each and every Monday on trnwired.com.

features

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page 12 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Paranormal activity sparks poltergeist passion Early encounters, Independent Study increase curiosity Alison Brown trn editor

S

enior Scott Banks began an investigation at Bacon’s Castle unaware that he would be experiencing something unusual.

As he left, he let the flash of the camera light up the space around him.

After he snapped a few pictures, he realized that he had caught something amazing. He had caught photographic proof of a face appearing in the window.

“It has always been an interest of mine,” Banks said. “Ever since I was little I would read books and watch the shows on TV so I thought it would be really fun to go out and do it myself.”

Banks has been investigating the paranormal for about a year now. He is not only interested in searching for ghosts and spirits, but also gaining knowledge prior to the investigation.

“I just think it is really cool to go in there and figure out who is this person and who is here so that way it is not like a woman who wears a white dress. This person has a name and a face; it is not just some random thing that is there.”

Banks chose the paranormal investigations to be his independent study. In his independent study, he looked at all aspects of the paranormal.

“It revolved around the history of certain spots, like I would not just pick some random place that someone said was haunted,” Banks said. “Like Bacon’s Castle in Surry, or Weston Manor in Hopewell and the Poe Museum in Richmond, other places like that actually have history connected to it.”

Banks really enjoys most everything about his paranormal investigations, but there are a few things that peeve him.

“There is this one thing where people want to take pictures, a lot of the time people find little orb balls of light

and they think that it is a ghost or a spirit, but most of it is dust,” Banks said. “It is very easy to go into some old basement and then there are five orbs in your photo.”

Besides Banks’ first personal experience, he has been around for other group encounters. His father witnessed one of the other occurrences.

“He [my father] said he could feel his arm being touched by something.

It was like something was brushing up against his arm and he would just wipe it off. Eventually it would just move to the other arm and then something started touching his ear.”

Banks does not normally work alone and occassionally works with another organization.

“Last year I worked with the head of

The Spirited History, LeeAnne Ball. The French teacher, Ms. Skiffington, would come along on some of the trips. So I have worked with them and a few others that go on investigations with us,” Banks said.

French teacher Marcia Skiffington has been working investigations off and on for about five years. She worked with Banks at the Poe Museum last March and had an experience of her own. Skiffington and one of her fellow investigators went into the Carriage House Building behind the Poe Museum.

“The lights were on, nobody was in there, but we heard something stomping around upstairs and we were like ‘Hello who’s there?’ And it got quiet,” Skiffington said. “So then we used the rest room and came back out. We were like ‘Okay

Senior Scott Banks uses an EMF detector and thermometer. He demonstrated how to get a reading of the electromagnetic fields.

Photo contrubuted by Scott Banks. whatever you were doing you can go back to doing!’ And then it was ‘STOMP STOMP STOMP’ down the staircase in front of us. I looked at her and she looked at me and we both went ‘AH!’ And ran out.”

Banks is very passionate and excited for investigations to come. He plans on keeping his investigations a consistent hobby and witnessing the most coveted.

“There is always like the Holy Grail.

It is like here it is; you can’t really say that it is nothing. It is boom, there it is.”

features

page 13 - royalnews -10.8.2010

International Baccalaureate creates vast barriers Program hinders some students socially, but helps others academically Kim Carneal trn editor

T

hey walked into the same school but anticipated completely different peers in the class , which sent mixed emotions to the former International Baccalaureate (IB) students. A select group of juniors have spent four years in the Middle Years Programme of IB. “I’m still getting used to being mixed with other kids. The first day was weird,” junior Jessica Taylor said.

Some students had a positive outcome from being in IB, either with establishing a strong bond with peers or improving their school work ethic.

“You are with the same people all day. In four years it created a family-like bond,” Taylor said.

Others felt IB to be a downfall of their high school experience.

“I slowly realized being in IB had a negative effect on my grades,” junior Allison Nichols said.

Lack of a challenge to students encourages them to seek a more rigorous way of learning.

“I thought IB would be more of a challenge because there was not enough in regular classes,” sophomore Alexus Allen said.

The teaching during the MYP years focused on being more informed on worldwide issues.

“Teachers are teaching the IB students a more global way of thinking and applying concepts to everyday life,” IB Coordinator Crystal Barnwell said.

Even though MYP offers extensive learning, one student felt the need to take himself out of the program before his

sophomore year.

“I did not agree with the project that none of us knew much about,” junior Jamar Johnson said.

Being socially excluded contributed to Johnson’s decision in withdrawing from IB. “I hated being with the same people every day. There was not any individuality,” Johnson said.

Students have strong opinions on the effectiveness of being in IB. The opinions range from being well prepared to feeling slighted from being the first year of IB. “There was a lot of projects and community service. That helped me with being prepared for college and getting involved. I talked about getting out while I was in [the program] but now I want to be back in,” Taylor said.

First year IB students set the foundation for developing the program to be well prepared for future years.

“Being the guinea pigs effected how prepared the teachers were when giving us assignments that were supposed to be on a higher level,” Johnson said.

Still being enrolled in the program does not stop students from expressing their opinion.

“I could be in honors [classes] doing the same thing but taught in a different way,” Allen said.

The step after the MYP is the Diploma Programme. The school board is still in discussion over the budget for the next level.

“We are in a budget crisis and that ways heavily on the decision about getting the Diploma Programme,” IB administrator Chris Romig said.

The Diploma Programme offers even more worldly knowledge to the students, however some students would have just taken the program to reap the additional benefits.

“I would continue on to get the

Juniors Andraey Pompey, Jessica Taylor, and Luke Humphries interact while doing an assignment. Former IB students Humphries and Taylor responded differently to the change in atmosphere.

Photo by Alison Brown. certificate. It would look good on a college transcript,” Allen said If the Diploma Programme was available to the former IB students, the want to continue varies.

“I probably would not have had a choice. My mom made it clear it was not an option to not be in IB,” Taylor said.

While the students do not have the opportunity to be enrolled in the Diploma Programme, they can still successful with just the MYP. “Whether we get the Diploma Programme or not, the MYP students are going to be well prepared for A.P. or

the

page 14 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

ESCAPE TH

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CREEPY HALLOW HAYRIDE:

The Hayride, which has been around for 19 years, focuses on Dr. Ulysses S. Farrington’s “experiments” throughout the dark and creepy wooded trails. Creepy ghosts and eerie characters come right up to the tractor to scare and surprise all.

LETHAL LULLABIES:

If one is willing enough to explore the haun the Brood Lake Home for Orphans is a goo orphanage has many secrets that the ghos

PORTRAIT OF A VAMPIRE:

After surviving the terrifying hayride, the tractor will take you to Scream Forest (if you are brave enough). Scream Forest is a walking trail and there is nothing separating you from the “experiments” gone wrong. Once fleeing the woods, you must enter, and try to escape, Bedlam House which is filled with strange spirits and deadly ghouls.

CAMP BLOOD OUTDOOR TRA

SCREAM FOREST:

 Location: Stone Horse Creek Road in Ashland Date and Time: October 1st - Halloween (typically weekends); 7:00PM - 11:30PM Cost: $24 for a combination ticket

Follow the vampire hunters into the basem track down Hetty Brood, an ageless bloods

The last stop at Blood Lake is the walking GroundsCreeper Willie is watching and wai

Location: 13131 Overhill Lake Lane in Ha Date and Time: October 8th - Halloween 11:00PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:0 Cost: $20 for all three attractions

the

page 15 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

HE TERROR Characters from Blood Lake Haunted House: (left to right) Hetty Brood, the Jester, Jean Baptiste and his victim, and a vampiress.

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nts that surround Blood Lake, od place to start. This haunted st children are ready to tell.

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Ashland Berry Farm has three frightening attractions including Booger Woods, Terror in the Barn, and Hell Hole.

Booger Woods is a walking trail in which a hay wagon transports you to the edge of the woods and leaves you alone to face the creatures in the darkness of the woods. Watch your back.

Terror in the Barn and Hell Hole are both indoor attractions that are filled with monsters, corpses, and deranged killers wielding chainsaws.

Try to escape...or face your death. Location: 12607 Old Ridge Road in Hanover Date and Time: October 1st - Halloween (typically weekends, last two Thursdays of the month); 7:00PM - everyone gets through Cost: $23 for all three attractions

Features

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page 16 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Mormon church beliefs touch high school students

Religious misconceptions abound with Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints Rachel Youmans trn editor

T

here are 84,876 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Virginia, in 188 congregations. Despite the large presence in our area, many Virginians do not know about the practices of the church.

Junior Delilah Doss, who attends the Hopewell Ward of the LDS Church, converted eight years ago when her family

moved and had to look for a new church.

“It was a huge change,” Doss said. “I had to stop drinking coffee!”

Nevertheless, Doss and her family are very happy. Her father, who didn’t convert with the rest of the family, is becoming part of the church this summer.

Junior Ayana Hinton’s family also converted eight years ago, after missionaries visited her house.

“I obey the rules,” Hinton said. “We’re not allowed to date until sixteen, then we have group dates.”

Although Virginia is more tolerant of Mormonism than some other places, there are still some misunderstandings.

“People still think we practice polygamy,” Elder Matthews, a missionary, said. “That’s not true at all.”

Polygamy is the practice of having multiple spouses. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints officially abandoned the practice in 1890, but it is still a concept that is inaccurately associated with Mormonism.

Although Hinton does not think Virginia is an area with a lot of religious

intolerance, she admits people sometimes make false assumptions about the church.

“There are misconceptions about the way we dress,” Hinton said. “And some people think we are polygamous.”

The Church of Latter-Day Saints has a long history of suffering from religious intolerance. The roots of the church can be found in 1820, when Joseph Smith had a vision in the woods near his home.

In March of 1830 Smith published the Book of Mormon, which he said was translated from ancient Native American writings. Around this time Smith’s followers organized themselves into a church.

In October 1833, non-Mormon residents drove Mormons from Jackson County, Missouri, the place that Smith had described as the “center place” of the City of Zion. Smith and his followers were forced to move west. As a result of conflict in the area, 2,500 Missouri militia attacked the Mormons, imprisoned Smith and other church leaders, and expelled the remaining church members.

“In Utah there are a lot of protests at

religious conferences. Any time there’s a temple up, there are protesters,” Matthews said. “Of course, it’s not like it is always happening; there are a lot of nice people out there too.”

“A lot of people think we’re Amish, too,” Elder Fabrizio, another missionary, said. “They’ll ask why we have cell phones or computers, because they think it’s against our religion.”

. d e r i w trn om c Look for a continuing multimedia project on religion in Prince George County.

AMPERSAND

Jaydee Johnson

the

page 17 - royalnews - 10.08.2010

FALL STYLES Trey Carter

Ben Bailey

Courtney Boney

Melanie Crutchfield

Alisha Hunt

Casual Sporty

This preppy look includes a white striped Hollister polo and a pair of tan Sperry shoes.

In this hippie inspired look, accessories are key. A headband and gladiator sandals accent the overall outfit.

Angel Horsley

Pretty Prep

Retro Flirty This look consists of key Polo pieces. A Polo vest over a white v-neck. Boot cut jeans are accented by Polo boots.

Abstract Class

Urban Presidential

Polo-tastic

Boho Chic

Kiera Ortiz

The style of the 80s motivates this look. A layered skirt, off the shoulder sweatshirt and flats make up this style.

This dressy businessman look incorporates an argyle sweater, dress pants and alligator skin shoes.

A mint colored cardigan reflects 60s style. Denim is a popular compliment paired with bow tie flats.

Alternative Edge

Creativity sparks this look with a cardigan and a sleeveless tank underneath. Skinny jeans complete the look.

A black zipper vest, studded belt, black skinny jeans and platform boots make up this gothic inspired style.

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page 18 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

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page 19 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Local bands: behind the music Members reveal how friendship, love of music, fans help them succeed

A

Jessica Marshall trn editor

fter the ‘thanks for coming, we’ll be in touch’ concluded, Jake Filasky and Ben Ciucci emerged from the audition room in 2007 with a new thought in mind, starting their own group called Centuries in the Sky. Centuries in the Sky is a pop-rock band consisting of five friends: Jake Filasky, vocals; Ben Ciucci, bass; Andrew Cain, drums, Benny Davidson, guitar; and Andrew Parks, guitar.

All bands, no matter what the circumstances, begin somewhere. For Centuries in the Sky, friendship was an essential key in their formation.

“My band came from my best friend, Ben, and I meeting each other after auditioning for a band when we were in 10th grade,” Filasky said.

“We knew what we wanted to do but couldn’t find the right people. Then eventually 3 years later we found the people that truly meshed well with our goals and friendship.”

A key factor in being involved in a band is a love for music. All five members of this group share a passion for music.

“To me, music is a lot of different things.

But for the band I was in, music was about our friendship and the fun we shared,” Filasky said.

“But I think music, in some shape or form, is always from a place that is either dissatisfied and tells how the artist would like the world to be.”

After numerous band practices and playing in each other’s garages, Centuries in the Sky hit local stages such as The Canal Club and Alley Catz. Mixed feelings and experiences came with the first time in front of an audience.

“Being on stage takes some getting used to.

But I always said once you’re used to the first row, it’s a lot less stressful,” Filasky said.

Being in a band with a group of friends can lead to unlimited memories, some good and some bad. Often, one in particular will stand out. For Filasky, one memory that stands out the most is accompanied by the loss of a

loved one.

“My best memory would probably be my band’s first real show with our solid line up. It was just two days after my brother died but my brother played such an influence on showing me music that it helped me connect with his passing,” Filasky said. “Also in June we opened for Cartel, who is one of the biggest influences on us. It was such a great time and gave us great exposure. And it really showed us that hard work pays off.”

Careers in the music industry are deemed hard to come by. For Centuries in the Sky, they are perfectly fine playing local shows and hope that it continues that way.

“I used to consider it to be a career but now it’s just a hobby. I think everyone should completely love what they do especially if it’s a career. I think people that want to make music their lives should take the time to study music theory and always want to progress as a musician,” Filasky said. “I was more into the poetic side, and the music industry over time just turned me off because of the lack of integrity of music itself. It’s all become an industry of cool, which I don’t stand for and I know my band couldn’t change that.”

Although Centuries in the Sky is well established, they are not alone. No Signal is a local metal/post-hardcore/rock band consists of sophomore Mark Roberts, bass; Patrick Burley, guitar, senior Richard Bailey; guitar; 2010 graduate Johnny O’Donnell, vocals; and freshman Connor Livesay, drums.

For No Signal, their formation differed from Centuries in the Sky. This band came together by friendship and luck.

“Well it started out as our drummer, bass player and two friends, and the lineup changed after our drummer called two of his friends from Chester,” Roberts said. “After they came, right from the start we knew it was meant to be. After a while, we decided to part ways with our original vocalist, and brought in our current one, and from then, it’s been chemistry all the way.”

To No Signal, music also means a great deal.

“Music is everything to me. Music is my thing. I don’t go to sports for practice, I go to band practice. Music is constantly in my mind, and it is there when I’m mad, sad, happy or just content,” Burley said.

When hitting local venues in such as the Canal Club, Alley Catz, The ROC, and even the Crosspoint Church in Lynchburg, Burley says that being on the stage compares to no other.

“It’s just amazing, there’s no other feeling in the world, and no money can buy the feeling of playing the music you wrote on stage,” Burley said.

Ideas and feelings about a big career in music has No Signal divided. While some members want a big career, others just enjoy it as a hobby.

“Not in the least bit would I consider it a career. It’s a fun thing to do and something to keep me occupied, if we hit it big, well then I’m

Centuries in the Sky performs at a local venue. Three years ago, five friends formed the band.

Contributed photo by Jake Filasky. happy for us,” Roberts said.

As local bands, Centuries in the Sky and No Signal both have their fair share of fans. The two groups greatly appreciate their audience and support.

“To me anyone that takes the time to listen to us whether they like what they heard or not are awesome,” Filasky said. “People that make it to shows are really great. And I especially like a fan that isn’t afraid to give us constructive criticism. It helps us keep an eye for what to work on.”

As a fan of local bands, junior Amanda Crawford believes that fan support is vital to a band’s success.

“Bands have to start somewhere. And local bands always have the support of their friends and fans if nothing else,” Crawford said.

“I give all my support and heart to the bands that are doing what they are doing.”

Being in a band comes with many ups and downs. But with a love of music, best friends, and fan support, Filasky cherishes every moment of it.

“Being in a band feels great. It’s you and your best friends creating a soundtrack for your friendship and showing everyone how much fun you’re having in the process,” Filasky said.

the

page 20 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

A SIGN OF Quality and Service for 80 Years

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page 21 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Competiton play seeks new stars Actors audition for role in Shakespearian story

A

Olivia Tritschler trn editor

A

t graduation the theater group bid farewell to four veterans in school productions. Sophomores to seniors were given the chance to show off their talent.

On Monday Sept. 20, the new cast and crew was selected for the fall Virginia Theater Association (VTA) play, The Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw.

The Dark Lady of the Sonnets is a fictional story of how William Shakespeare met Queen Elizabeth I. The first performance occurred in 1910 at a fund raising event for the National Theatre of England.

“I have tried to raise the level of challenge in the literature we perform each year and it has paid off,” theater teacher Daryl Phillips said. “The students have met the challenge and done very well.”

From the first practice held on Tuesday, Sept. 21 to the Halloween weekend in Oct., the six-member team will spend two hours on stage after school perfecting the play each day. This poses a difficult challenge with school and practice.

“Practice times are generally every day for a few hours,” sophomore Samantha Jennings said. “At this point, I don’t work so I am able to juggle homework with practice.

It is really important though to maintain good grades. That is a top priority for me.”

Junior Gerald Jackson and sophomore Matthew Squires play the Man and the Beefeater respectively. Jennings and senior Rachel Karns-Gall play the Dark Lady and Queen Elizabeth respectively.

With a young cast and a difficult Shakespearian play, a hundred percent effort is necessary in all practices.

“For the cast, we have a fairly new group of students,” senior Aidan O’Hare said.

“This will definitely be a growing experience for everyone. It is going to be challenging, but it will only make each actor stronger.”

Scariest ghost movies

Filling the shoes of past theater students seems to be a difficult task in the eyes of the four main characters. Previous experience in other plays and theater classes help these individuals through tough lines and tricky scenes.

“I have trained for theater for the last seven years and I thoroughly enjoy it,” Jennings said. “All of the training has brought me to this point and I love the challenge. I will continue to grow as an actress in the art that I love.”

A strong show is only as powerful as its back stage crew. The students who make the play run smoothly might not always get the recognition they deserve. Without this crew back stage and working to control the sound and light systems, the show could not go on.

“I set the lighting for the show for each scene and during performances I perform the lighting cues, which is changing the way the lights look for each scene,” O’Hare said.

“I am also stage manager, which is really just a title that makes me sound official and important. Light board operator is my main job.”

A theatrical team is like a sports team.

They create new friendships that help them through all the ups and downs, wins and losses.

“I am friends with everyone that was cast,” Jennings said. “I think it would be much harder to work with people I don’t know because I wouldn’t have the history with everybody and I wouldn’t really know them.

Last year the play Eleemosynary placed in the top ten out of a total fifty plays who participated. The cast also won a cast ensemble and alumna Meaghan O’Hare won an actor’s award. This year’s

Junior Gerald Jackson and sophomore Matthew Squires read through lines as they block the play The Dark Lady of the Sonnets. The four member cast auditioned in late Sept. and preforms on Oct. 30th.

Photo by Alison Brown. cast has high expectations to live up to.

“My expectations for this year are for us to go in as well prepared as possible so that we can build on the success we had last year,” Phillips said. “The qualities I look for in picking any cast are in talent, commitment, good team player skills, and a sense of humor. They need to focus on what we have created and attack and have fun.”

All the hard work and practice will pay off when the final production of The Dark Lady of the Sonnets hits the school stage in Oct. during school hours. The play will also be performed in Reston, Virginia, for the VTA competition. This weekend spent with other schools and theater students is a unique experience for everyone.

“VTA is one of the highlights of my year.

I always look forward to it because of the talented and interesting people who take part in it,” O’Hare said. “The theatrical environment at the competition has the power to inspire, everyone there is so complimentary. There isn’t even a hint of competitiveness, everyone loves everyone because we all love theater.”

s the Halloween season approaches, so do the scary ghost movies. These movies are often creepier than movies like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” because usually at the end, I find myself asking, “Could this really happen?”

Jessica Marshall

The most recent ghost oriented movie I watched was “Paranormal Activity” which I found alarmingly creepy and could not go to sleep that night.

But, “Paranormal Activity” did not make the cut for “The 25 Scariest Ghost Movies” by Mark H. Harris, on About.com guide. So, if you’re ready to get scared out of your mind, check out the following top ten scariest ghost movies of all time.

Number 10 on the list is “Al Final de Espectro”, which debuted in 2007.

Number 9 is “The Others”, which was presented in 2001. Number 8, first released in 2003, is “The Grudge”.

Number 7 is “The Changeling”, which came out in 1980. Coming in at number 6 is “The Amityville Horror”, which first premiered in 1979.

Number five, released in 1999, is “The Sixth Sense”. At the number four spot is “The Ring”, which came out in 2002.

Number three is “The Session”, which opened in 2001. Coming in at number 2 is “The Blair Witch Project” which hit the big screen in 1999. Now, for the number one scariest ghost movie of all time, heading back thirty years is “The Shining”. Released in 1980, this movie’s “iconic imagery, courtesy of legendary director Stanley Kubrick, is nightmare-inducing. Amazingly, it even rivals the Stephen King novel upon which it was based in terms of pure terror.”

So there you have it, the top ten scariest ghost movies of all time. So go home, and be prepared to be sitting on the edge of your seat.

(Top ten movies and description of “The Shining” are courtesy of http:// horror.about.com/od/ horrortoppicklists/ tp/25ghostmovies.02).htm)

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page 22 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

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Gamer’s Corner

the

page 23 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Halo: Reach has finally landed

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Students’ Favorite Games

he epic prequel to the original Halo games has finally arrived!

And instantly after playing Reach after attending the midnight release to pick up my own pre ordered copy, I realized that Bungie, the creators of Halo, truly delivered on their blockbuster conclusion to the Halo franchise. And that’s the only way to describe Halo Reach: Garret Albright epic.

The tragic story line follows “Noble 6”- your customizable character for the game, who is the newest addition to “Noble Team”, a six-man unit of Spartan “super soldiers.” This tells the story of their losing battle as they attempt to fight off the seemingly invincible alien alliance known as The Covenant. The Covenant have invaded the planet of Reach, humanity’s last stronghold in the

war, before Earth. Bungie masterfully puts together a story that will have you bonded to your team by completing missions with them, yet despairingly be torn apart from them as each of their deaths take their toll on you. The game’s desperate story truly closes in on you during the end of each mission when you complete the objective and take a step forward in the war for Reach, then somehow The Covenant takes that step back, plus two more.

New to the latest Halo game is the level of in-depth customization that is available for your character, Noble 6.

By playing the different game modes, you earn credits to buy various pieces of armor for your Spartan. These include different helmets, chest and shoulder pieces, or even assorted “Armor Effects”.

One of which I will be saving for myself.

Because let’s face it, it is definitely worth the time to earn two million credits to be able to walk around with sparks flying out of your guy.

What to like about Reach? The deep story line will draw you in and

never let you out; the in depth, and much, much easier to use map maker: Forge 2.0 allows users to create their own custom maps which means the future possibilities for the game are endless and that establishes a long replayability that few, if any, games can match. This leads to the multiplayer experience of Reach, which is nothing short of spectacular.

Reach falls short in some areas however. The most prominent: the campaign’s less than spectacular checkpoint locations. There is nothing more annoying than completing several painstakingly difficult objectives in a row, only to be killed by a random enemy that you didn’t know was there. But it’s okay, you got a checkpoint right? More often than not: no, you didn’t. Come on Bungie. A little checkpoint thrown in there after all my hard work would be most appreciated. Instead, I now have to kill that same group of enemies over again, defend that location over there, kill those enemies… and probably die.

Again. With no checkpoint.

Junior Alex Martinez

Sophomore Sterling Lewis

Junior Joseph Pervall

My favorite game is Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

The depth of emotion in the story and the way the player feels responsible for the lives of the people in the game makes it my favorite game.

Halo: Reach Opinion: I do not think that it is much of an improvement from Halo 3 and, to me, it’s mildly entertaining.

My favorite game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and playing this game online is fun. It’s got good graphics and you get to pick your weapons. Playing online also lets you play against different people all the time.

Going back to the classics I think my favorite game would have to be the Legend of Zelda.

It’s original and I grew up playing with it. It’s one of those games where you can defeat it five times and never get tired of it.

photo from: http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/images.aspx?c=59

Sophomore Sam Marshall My favorite game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It’s one of the best games to play online. You can rank up, play with your friends, and talk to the other people who are playing at the same time.

Halo: Reach Opinion: It’s definitely better than what I expected and you can play muliplayer online.

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page 24 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

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page 25 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

New faces abundant for field hockey Child’s Play Team has two new coaches, fourteen lost T seniors from 2009 Rachel Waymack trn editor

T

he varsity field hockey players who returned for practice this summer expecting to see coaches Roy York and Buddy Smith were in for a big surprise.

Instead of York and Smith, the girls were greeted by the two new coaches, Ann Lewis and Beth Russell.

Though Lewis and Russell are new faces to the players, they are not new to coaching or to each other. They coached JV field hockey together from 2002 to 2004. After 2004 Russell had to stop coaching due to her job commitment, but Lewis continued coaching until 2007. When the two learned of the open coaching positions they both applied immediately.

“When Coach Smith retired, the opportunity arose and I jumped on it,” Russell said. “I love the game, but I never got to play in school because it was not offered then, so I was thrilled.”

Both Lewis’ and Russell’s excitement for the opportunity to coach again shows their love of the game and that they are both a good fit for the team.

“I wanted to come back because I enjoy the sport, the adrenaline, and I missed the girls,” Lewis said.

The players returning from last year quickly noticed differences between the new and former coaches resulting from their different genders.

“Having female coaches makes the relationship more personal,” junior stopper Hannah Taylor said.

While the new coaches’ gender is the most obvious change, returning players assert that it is definitely not the only difference.

“We run a whole lot more; we do sprints one day and distance the next,” senior centermid Kaitlyn Johnson said, “the approach is different; it is a lot more intense.”

Lewis and Russell believe this increase in training is necessary. Not only have they upped the amount of running the players do during practice, they have also really focused on improving the stick skills of the players.

Out of all of the added training, increasing

the players’ level of fitness is Lewis and Russell’s main objective.

“We believe that our conditioning is our number one priority in order to get our girls in shape,” Russell said.

The intensified training was a little hard for the players to adjust to, but they believe that it is worth the extra effort during practice.

“I like that we run a lot to keep us in shape so we are not dying in the games,” sophomore mid-fielder Lindsay Varga said.

Two new coaches and a different practice regiment were not the only two changes returning players faced; they also lost a large part of their team from last year. Due to fourteen girls from last year’s team graduating, the team this year is composed largely of new players. Learning to play with the new teammates proved to be difficult for some of the returning players.

The burden of a new team did not fall only on the players but also on the new coaches.

“Our goal is to take a brand new team and really try to rebuild the program since we lost so many seniors last year,” Russell said.

Despite the fact that fourteen players from last year graduated, both the coaches

Field hockey coach Beth Russell, right, watches practice on Tuesday October 4th. Russell started her first season coaching the Royals this year.

Photo by Alison Brown. and the team have high hopes for this year.

“I expect them to be contenders for the [central district] title,” Lewis said, “My hope is to win districts.”

This belief in the players stems from the coaches’ recognition of the players’ hard work, talent, and ability to work together.

“I think the girls are super,” Lewis said, “when they are on the field they play as a team.”

The good relations and sentiments are mutual; the players have taken in the new coaches easily. This is undoubtedly due to Lewis and Russell’s determination, coaching skills, and willingness to personally communicate with the players.

“My favorite part of the new coaches is that they do not just coach, they get involved,” junior forward Cara Lucy said.

“They practice, they come to Swaders with us, and ultimately help bring the team together as a family.”

his summer, one thing in the world of sports that made me raise an eyebrow, was the aftermath of the Lebron James f r e e a g e n c y.

Jame s , arg u ably the best player in the NBA right now, elected to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join Wayne Epps, Jr. up with his friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. This created a “superteam” on paper, as the three are some of the best players in the NBA. Back in Cleveland though, some Cavaliers fans there went crazy after James’s announcement.

Their actions were a shame, no matter if James was a bench player for the seven seasons that he was there, or the all-star that he is. Fans burned James’s number twenty-three jersey, forgetting that he carried the Cavaliers on his back while he was there.

Where do you draw the line?

People sometimes forget that all of these sports are just games and get too serious about what goes on with their team. Burning someone’s jersey like they personally wronged him or her is ridiculous.

Even more absurd was the reaction of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert after James left. He published a tirade on the team’s website that called James’s departure a “cowardly betrayal”. He also called James the “self-titled former ‘King’” and wrote that he “will be taking the ‘curse’ with him down south”. These things are just bits and pieces of the terrible letter that Gilbert published. With an owner like that in the Cleveland organization, no wonder James left.

At the end of the day, sports are supposed to be fun and entertaining.

The aftermath of Lebron James going to the Miami Heat gives sports a bad name. Remember that no matter how upset you may get about something in some sport, it is still a game that is supposed to be enjoyed.

the

page 26 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

Female golfer carries on tradition Sophomore Taylor Harris tees off as only female player Wayne Epps, Jr. trn editor

S

ophomore Taylor Harris lines up at the tee for another hole. Caught in the heat of competition, she and her teammates strive to play the best round of their lives. The only difference between Harris and her teammates is that she is female.

The golf team practices at Jordan Point Golf Club Monday through Thursday. Practices consist of playing nine holes of the course. The team usually competes twice a week. In a match, players play in three groups of four consisting of two players from one school and two from the other.

Harris has played golf for two years.

This season she is the second-ranked player on the team. She was influenced to start playing by her cousin, 2010 graduate Aaron Harris. He also played on the team, and has been playing golf for five years. “[Aaron] always played, and I thought it would be neat to play with him,” Taylor said. “[Taylor] has come a long way since she first started playing. Hopefully I had a good influence on her game,” Aaron said in a Facebook interview.

Taylor fits in just fine with the rest of the team. She enjoys interacting with her teammates, and has created good friendships with them. She is treated like just another one of the guys.

“I have actually made the best friends I have ever had; Dalton Jolly, and Jeremy Carrell who graduated last year, and Evan [Montgomery], and Ryan [O’Hare], and all of them. They are all my best friends, and I really enjoy it,” Taylor said.

“She is just one of the team, she is not really any different,” senior Dalton Jolly said.

There may be good friendships between Taylor and her teammates, but that does not take away from heat of the

competition for spots on the team.

“I have known [Taylor] for two or three years. [Our friendship] has been a pretty competitive thing, because we have always fought for the same spots,” senior Ryan O’Hare said.

Even though Taylor is the only female golfer on the team this season, there have been others in the past.

“I have been [coaching] for twentyseven years; so this is like the third girl I have had on the team,” Golf Coach Earl Burton said.

Golf is a family affair for the Harris’.

Not only did Taylor’s cousin Aaron play on the team, Taylor has another cousin, freshman Adam Harris, who is also playing this season.

“They [the Harris family] are a very closeknit family, and I think that is one of the reasons why [Taylor] came out,” Burton said. “[Taylor and I] still play together a lot. We play almost every week together, and we are always competitive because I cannot let her beat me,” Aaron said.

T h e amount of the golf course that female golfers play in competition is smaller in comparison to the amount played by males. In most highschool matches, players play nine holes of the golf course.

“The girls play eightyfive percent of what the guys do.

So it is shorter, and it is like that all the way through district, regional, and state,” Burton said.

When Taylor steps out onto the golf course, it is all business. She works very hard and tries to do her best on every part of her game.

“[She is a] hard worker, she is very intense, I think she gets that from her mom and dad, but she is very dedicated to golf,” Burton said.

“No part of my game is probably the strongest; I work hard on every part. I go to practice every day, I hit on the range, I putt, I chip, I do what I can do to be the best I can,” Taylor said.

Male or female, it does not matter. Taylor is talented at her craft, and the sky is the limit on her ability to be a great golfer.

“It is unlimited. She has the skills, and if she keeps working at it, she can be very, very good,” Burton said.

SPORTS

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Chelsea Hughes

How long have you been in volleyball?

“I have been in volleyball for three years now.”

What inspired you?

“My dad inspired me, he played sports all through high school, and I want to continue the tradition.”

How do you train outside of school?

“I went to open gyms over the summer and ran to stay in shape.”

What do you do before a game to prepare yourself?

“I either listen to music or keep score for the JV team to keep my mind on volleyball.”

What do you enjoy most about playing volleyball?

“The friendships that you make, and being able to stay in shape.”

When was your best game?

“This year, I have had a lot more playing time, so I had the opportunity to improve my game.”

Do you plan on continuing volleyball in college?

“Intramural.”

Sophomore Taylor Harris tees off at the Dogwood Trace Golf Course.

Photo by Alison Brown.

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page 27 - royalnews - 10.8.2010

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Sports

briefs

Golf finished third in the Central District tournament on Monday Sept. 27.

Girls Volleyball defeated Dinwiddie 3 - 1 on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Boys Volleyball defeated Dinwiddie 3 - 0 on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Football stares down Colonial Heights for homecoming game

From the sidelines, players look on as senior Lawrence Taylor (16) and sophomore Caleb Johnson (42) call the coin toss before the opening game at Clover Hill on Friday, Sept. 10. Photo by Maggie Smith.